Australian tennis great Neale Fraser, winner of 19 Grand Slam titles, has died at the age of 91.
Fraser reached world number one in singles in 1959, the same year he won his first of three major singles titles at the US Championships.
The following year, he defeated legend Rod Laver in the Wimbledon final and in the United States.
Fraser won 11 doubles titles across the Australian, French, Wimbledon and American championships, as well as five major mixed tournaments during a prolific period from 1956 to 1960.
Australian Tennis Hall of Famer Lew Hoad once said he had “the best serve in the world”.
Fraser said he “could never think of anything better than representing his country” and, as such, shunned offers to turn professional in the 1960s in the hope of becoming Australia’s Davis Cup captain.
Neale Fraser (right) defeated Rod Laver (left) in the 1960 Wimbledon and US singles finals. (Getty Images: Mirrorpix)
He succeeded Harry Hopman in 1970 and held the position until 1993, winning four trophies during his 24 campaigns, adding to four successive titles as a player from 1959 to 1962.
“What Australians love most about him is that he has been a wonderful representative of Australia (and) Australia on and off the court,” Hopman said at Fraser’s induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1984.
According to Tennis Australia, Fraser was so prolific in the international tournament that Hopman called it “Neale Fraser’s Cup”.
“He was almost like my second father,” said Pat Cash, who was part of Fraser’s last victorious Davis Cup team, in 1986.
Fraser (centre) was Davis Cup captain to Australia’s titles in 1973, 1977, 1983 and 1986. (Getty Images: Tony Feder/ALLSPORT)
Fraser was also one of the first five players inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994, just a year after its inception, joining the exclusive group alongside Laver, Margaret Court, his long-time doubles partner Roy Emerson and Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
In 2008, Fraser received the Philippe Chatrier Award from the International Tennis Federation for his outstanding achievements in tennis.
“I’ve had an incredible career,” he told Tennis Australia.
“I was obviously enjoying something. Whatever actions I did, I managed to appreciate them all to the Nth degree.”
He is survived by his wife, Thea.
